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  • Elders – a letter from Peter – 9

    Elders – a letter from Peter – 9

    Peter has just cautioned the church that judgment begins with God’s household. He encourages all the believers suffering for Christ to keep fervent in your love. And in an appropriate exhortation for leadership of the family Peter urges wives to be submissive to your own husbands. Now the Apostle specifically exhorts the elders of the church.

    Church Leadership

    Before we address this divisive denominationalized topic written to a first century church in terms of today’s church, let’s begin with a contemporized paraphrase of these verses from the first letter of Peter by J.B. Phillips.

    1 Peter 5:

    A word to your leaders

    5 1-4 Now may I who am myself an elder say a word to you my fellow-elders? I speak as one who actually saw Christ suffer, and as one who will share with you the glories that are to be unfolded to us. I urge you then to see that your “flock of God” is properly fed and cared for. Accept the responsibility of looking after them willingly and not because you feel you can’t get out of it, doing your work not for what you can make, but because you are really concerned for their well-being. You should aim not at being “little tin gods” but as examples of Christian living in the eyes of the flock committed to your charge. And then, when the chief shepherd reveals himself, you will receive that crown of glory which cannot fade.

    Who is an Elder?

    I am not an elder of my church. Is he writing to me?

    Certainly Peter will follow this public exhortation with expected application to those humble members of their churches. And in a larger sense, he writes not to an individual group of Christ worshipers, but to the church as the whole body of Christ.

    Peter is not their Pastor, Priest, teacher or even a member of most churches to whom he writes, yet he clearly claims his authority “as your fellow elder.”

    Before we address this position which Peter claims from the greek word which he uses, συμπρεσβύτερος [sympresbyteros], let’s look back a bit to God’s presence before elders.

    Elders of the Hebrews

    We first hear of the elders in Genesis 50, transition in the Books of Moses to the exodus of a captive Hebrew people enslaved in Egypt.

    So Joseph went up to bury his father, and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household and all the elders of the land of Egypt, and all the household of Joseph and his brothers and his father’s household; they left only their little ones and their flocks and their herds in the land of Goshen. – Genesis 50:7-8 NASB

    Scripture refers to both ‘the elders of his [Joseph’s] household and all the elders of the land.

    Elders – zaqen – זָקֵן

    It is a description of older men, or men with familial and community authority. The LORD gives authority over families (households) and those with authority will be called before the LORD to account for those over whom they have authority. (We 21st century ‘christians,’ even Jews often struggle with such authority delegated from Almighty God.)

    God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations.

    “Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying,
    “I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.
    Exodus 3:15-16

    How like a loving Father does the LORD show concern for those who worship Him.

    Yet Moses asked the LORD for help in governing these difficult people. (Aren’t we, the church, just as rebellious when it comes to Authority?) The LORD gave us elders to judge our own family, the followers of God.

    Exodus 24:

    וְאֶל־מֹשֶׁ֨ה אָמַ֜ר עֲלֵ֣ה אֶל־יְהוָ֗ה אַתָּה֙ וְאַהֲרֹן֙ נָדָ֣ב וַאֲבִיה֔וּא וְשִׁבְעִ֖ים מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶ֖ם מֵרָחֹֽק׃

    Then He said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu and seventy of the elders of Israel, and you shall worship at a distance.

    Exodus 24:1 WLC [Hebrew]; NASB [English]

    4 Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord…

    7 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, “All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!” …

    9 Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.

    Moses prepares the followers with him, interceding as their Priest returning them to holiness (or pureness), making sacrifices and covenants before God. The LORD shows mercy to the sinful leaders of the Hebrews. Moses intercedes for them, then they see the Lord God!

    12 Now the Lord said to Moses,

    “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.”

    13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. But to the elders he said,

    “Wait here for us until we return to you…

    Elders of the cities and other lands

    The leadership of elders is accepted practice and culture at every level from family to city, from state or province to nation. Eldership is not exclusive to the Hebrews, Israel or later Judah. Neither is our tendency toward personal freedom and resistance to any authority by man or God.

    • Then the elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be slain before the LORD. – Leviticus 4:15
    • The LORD therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. Numbers 11:16
    • So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam and repeated Balak’s words to him. Numbers 22:7
    • then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Deuteronomy 19:12

    The LAW of the Hebrews is a higher Law from the Lord God. Furthermore, the Hebrews agreed to the Commandments of the LORD. Yet all sin and fall short of the Law.

    Moses had saved the Hebrews from Egypt, but he could not save them from their sin.

    Deuteronomy 31:

    Elders did not lead a people who just wandered in and out of the land or the Hebrew tent of meeting.

    Joshua, David, judges, prophets, elders of every generation — all are called by the Authority of God. The Hebrews they led had agreed to be led by the LORD.

    9 So Moses wrote this law and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel…

    12 Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law.

    26 “Take this book of the law and place it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may remain there as a witness against you… Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call the heavens and the earth to witness against them.

    Deuteronomy 31:26,28 NASB

    The presence of the LORD has scattered them,
    He will not continue to regard them;
    They did not honor the priests,
    They did not favor the elders.

    Lamentations 4:16 of Jeremiah when Jerusalem fell & the Temple was burned ~567 BC

    Church Elders of the New Testament

    Elders – presbyteros – πρεσβύτερος

    Strong’s Definitions
    πρεσβύτερος presbýteros, pres-boo’-ter-os; comparative of πρέσβυς présbys (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; specially, an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian “presbyter”:—elder(-est), old.

    A general description of elders in the Church would be: among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies (or churches) The NT uses the term bishop, elders, and presbyters interchangeably.

    Although Bishops and Archbishops, Pastors and Popes may be called elders of the church, authority from the Lord is not exclusive to any. With no regard to title or station, Christ, the Head of the body of the church will judge all.

    Peter, then, addresses the elders of the church in terms of their own behavior as examples of Christ Jesus and responsibility to their own small flocks as Peter well-knew Jesus had shown to the Twelve Disciples.

    1 Peter 5:

    I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed:

    Peter addresses these men as a fellow elder. He is not of their church or lording it over their church, but addressing them as a humble brother encouraging their leaders.

    Christians tend to look askance at the Jewish context of elders because of the Gospel record of the elders challenging Jesus. However Peter does not challenge any of the elders as if he is one who knows better or as even as an Apostle of higher authority.

    2 Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

    Peter then addresses our example of Jesus.

    4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

    Yes, Jesus IS resurrected, as witnessed by Peter, who knows directly from the Lord that Christ will give glory to those who serve Him faithfully.

    5 In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.

    Are you younger than the elders of your church? Of course. Therefore listen to their wise leadership.

    Humbly subject yourselves to them as Christ subjected Himself to the Father, even suffering death on a cross for our sins.

    All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
    God resists the proud
    but gives grace to the humble.

    Peter asks every saint of the church to clothe yourselves with humility toward all members of the body of Christ. He then quotes a familiar Proverb, memorized between father and son.

    Proverbs 3:

    My son, don’t forget my teaching,
    but let your heart keep my commands;
    2 for they will bring you
    many days, a full life, and well-being.
    3 Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.
    Tie them around your neck;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.
    4 Then you will find favor and high regard
    with God and people.
    5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not rely on your own understanding;
    6 in all your ways know him,
    and he will make your paths straight.
    7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes;
    fear the Lord and turn away from evil…

    33 The Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked,
    but he blesses the home of the righteous;
    34 He mocks those who mock,
    but gives grace to the humble.
    35 The wise will inherit honor,
    but he holds up fools to dishonor.

    Conclusion

    Peter concludes his letter advising this same humility which so often eluded him as a Disciple of Jesus. The Lord led with such humble gentleness and exemplary grace.

    Peter advises the saints of Christ’s body not to become fools in your actions toward your brothers in Christ. And do not mock the fools of this passing world so filled with sin. The saints must become Christ-like in all ways.

    Hebrew Scripture would have easily come to mind for these members of first century churches. Yet Peter’s exhortation applies aptly to you and to me.

    Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your cares on him, because he cares about you.

    1 Peter 5:6-7

    ‘You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out of there by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to observe the sabbath day. – Deuteronomy 5:15 NASB

    Now the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you. – Joshua 3:7

    Psalm 69

    Perhaps from this excerpt below we might look into the hearts of Peter’s persecuted first century readers of his letter, lifted up by a song of their familiar worship.

    A Psalm of David.
    Save me, O God,
    For the waters have threatened my life…
    I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched;
    My eyes fail while I wait for my God…
    Because for Your sake I have borne reproach;
    Dishonor has covered my face…

    But as for me, my prayer is to You, O LORD, at an acceptable time;
    O God, in the greatness of Your lovingkindness,
    Answer me with Your saving truth…

    Oh draw near to my soul and redeem it;
    Ransom me because of my enemies!

    But I am afflicted and in pain;
    May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.
    I will praise the name of God with song
    And magnify Him with thanksgiving…

    The humble have seen it and are glad;
    You who seek God, let your heart revive.

    Resist temptation

    8 Be sober-minded, be alert.

    Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

    Did you know that you are not the only one who suffers for Christ?

    Do you acknowledge the same powers and principalities who opposed Jesus also tempt you?

    Not all angels and spirits bring good news from God. Some heavenly messengers to mortals follow the fallen and deceitful angels of darkness and rebellion against the Lord God. If they oppose Jesus and you suffer for His Name, certainly you will join other saints faithful to the Lord.

    an Encouragement and Praise

    10 The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.

    11 To him be dominion forever. Amen.

    a Postscript

    Once Peter concludes his letter to the church exhorting its members and elders and closes with a general praise, we learn more about others who support the delivery of Peter’s good news to the churches.

    12 Through Silvanus, a faithful brother (as I consider him), I have written to you briefly in order to encourage you and to testify that this is the true grace of God.

    Peter likely dictated his letter to Silvanus, also known as Silas. Christian leaders like Silvanus and Timothy often worked with Peter or Paul. Letters to the church often express an understood Spirit-led leadership of like-minded elders of the church. We see this also in Peter’s next greeting.

    13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, as does Mark, my son.

    That is, John Mark, writer of the Gospel, much dictated by Peter and other Apostles.

    Who is ‘she who is in Babylon?’ Some suggest that it may be a veiled reference to Peter’s wife, who accompanied him in his journeys to spread the Gospel. As to the true location of ‘Babylon,’ commentators differ. At least three viable locations seem possible, including Rome, a Roman outpost in Egypt and a city in the area of ancient Babylon (Mesopotamia).

    Final greetings

    14 Greet one another with a kiss of love.

    φίλημα ἀγάπη – philēma agapē. It is the kiss with which, as a sign of fraternal affection, Christians were accustomed to welcome or dismiss their companions in the faith. And agapē love, demonstrable affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love in Christ finds its root in phileō and philos – to treat affectionately or kindly, to welcome, befriend; one who associates familiarly with one, a companion.

    This personal love of God becomes evident in every relationship between brothers of the body of Christ; that is, the Church of which He is the head.

    Peace to all of you who are in Christ Jesus, Amen.

    1 Peter 5:14b

  • Psalm 34: Like-minded with Peter – 5

    Psalm 34: Like-minded with Peter – 5

    We might describe Peter and David as like-minded, that is, men after God’s own heart.

    Of course, Psalm 34 is a Psalm of David. So what does this Psalm have to do with a letter from Peter (where we left off previously by asking, ‘Why Submit?’)?

    Psalm 34 would have been familiar to first century believers and Peter quotes David’s message as a unifying foundation of hope for these new believers in Christ.

    1 Peter 3:

    8 Finally, all of you be like-minded and sympathetic, love one another, and be compassionate and humble, 9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you may inherit a blessing.

    Stick with this short list of characteristics of relationships between believers.

    • like-minded
    • sympathetic
    • love one another
    • be compassionate
    • be humble
    • do not return evil for evil
    • never insult
    • bless your brother or sister in Christ.

    Remember the church’s persecution as exiles and their hope from many familiar stanzas of this Psalm Peter does not even mention. We have much to unpack from Peter’s instruction to the church here.

    For now, because he moves on to the Psalm and we most likely lack the familiarity of the first century believers, I will attempt to open the scripture of Psalm 34, returning later to Peter’s letter.

    Psalm 34

    Introduction to Psalm 34

    Charles Spurgeon provides some helpful insight into this Psalm.

    Although the gratitude of the psalmist prompted him thankfully to record the goodness of the Lord in vouchsafing an undeserved deliverance, yet he weaves none of the incidents of the escape into the narrative, but dwells only on the grand fact of his being heard in the hour of peril…

    David in view of the special peril from which he was rescued, was at great pains with this Psalm, and wrote it with considerable regularity, in almost exact accordance with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

    C.H. Spurgeon

    Spurgeon also helpfully points out that this Psalm of David divides into two parts: a hymn [vs.1-10] and a sermon [vs.11-22].

    Have you ever been in such a situation as David when your life as you know it is at stake? Did you praise the Lord for saving you?

    Perhaps this hymn was sung by the persecuted first century church. And maybe the church receiving Peter’s letter already knew well the sermon David preaches. From this context the Apostle’s recalls Psalm 34 in his first letter to the church.

    I will bless the Lord at all times

    [[A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.]]

    לְדָוִ֗ד בְּשַׁנֹּותֹ֣ו אֶת־֭טַעְמֹו לִפְנֵ֣י אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַֽ֝יְגָרֲשֵׁ֗הוּ וַיֵּלַֽךְ׃ אֲבָרֲכָ֣ה אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת תָּ֝מִ֗יד תְּֽהִלָּתֹ֥ו בְּפִֽי׃

    Psalm 34:1 WLC

    I will bless the LORD at all times;
    His praise shall continually be in my mouth. – Psalm 34:1 NKJV

    Most contemporary Christians know that David was a man after God’s own heart. Certainly the newly founded and persecuted church to whom Peter wrote knew the same. Bless the LORD at all times! It is a good start.

    3 O magnify the Lord with me,
     And let us exalt His name together.
     4 I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
     And delivered me from all my fears.

    6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
     And saved him out of all his troubles.
     7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him,
     And rescues them.

    Spurgeon commentary – Psalm 34:6

    Once again Spurgeon relates David’s verse from from the Psalm in a way Peter also knew would resonate with Christians in fear for their lives.

    Verse 6. “This poor man cried.” Here he returns to his own case. He was poor indeed, and so utterly friendless that his life was in great jeopardy; but he cried in his heart to the protector of his people and found relief. His prayer was a cry, for brevity and bitterness, for earnestness and simplicity, for artlessness and grief; it was a poor man’s cry, but it was none the less powerful with heaven, for “the Lord heard him,” and to be heard of God is to be delivered; and so it is added that the Lord “saved him out of all his troubles.”

    Peter then refers to this next stanza [in 1 Peter 3:10]:

    8 O taste and see that the Lord is good;
    How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!

    Psalm 34:8 NASB

    Peter’s Psalm 34 Sermon

    Peter urges the men of the church to whom he writes:

    1 Peter 3:

    10 For the one who wants to love life
    and to see good days,
    let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit,
    11 and let him turn away from evil
    and do what is good.
    Let him seek peace and pursue it,

    Keep your tongue from evil, Peter urges. Also turn away from evil to do what is good. Pursue peace (with each other, between members of the church).

    12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are open to their prayer.

    This too is from the Psalm [v.15].

    Do you, beloved believer, pray to the Lord? His eyes look toward the righteous.

    Are your actions now righteous because of Christ? His ears are open to your prayers; therefore pray to the Lord in whom you now take refuge. Taste and see that the Lord is good.

    And a reminder from Peter as he continues quoting from Psalm 34 [v.16]:

    But the face of the Lord is against
    those who do what is evil.

    1 Peter 3:12b CSB

    This is actually encouraging to those who have turned to the Lord. For in Christ we no longer want to do what is evil.

    The vengeance of the Lord will prevail against the enemies of God, as when David called on the Lord for help. Again, this Psalm of David will be familiar to the persecuted church of the first century.

    Psalm 34 beyond Peter’s quote

    9 O fear the Lord, you His saints;
    For to those who fear Him there is no want.

    Do we realize that all like-minded servants of the Lord are referred to as saints?

    11 Come, you children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
    12 Who is the man who desires life
    And loves length of days that he may see good?

    Like Peter, the Apostle John also encourages the church. We are called to be like-minded faithful, ‘children of God.’

    But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name

    John 1:12 NASB

    When Peter earlier referred to ‘not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult‘ his advise came from Psalm 34 and other scripture.

    13 Keep your tongue from evil
     And your lips from speaking deceit.
     14 Depart from evil and do good;
     Seek peace and pursue it.

    15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
     And His ears are open to their cry.
     16 The face of the Lord is against evildoers,
     To cut off the memory of them from the earth.
     17 The righteous cry, and the Lord hears
     And delivers them out of all their troubles.
     18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
     And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

    Like-minded believers

    What do the faithful do with Scripture?

    Peter’s readers applied Old Testament Scripture to the promises of their faith in Christ Jesus.

    The Lord has done this before and the Lord promises these things; therefore we have faith.

    David, a man after God’s own heart, preaches the sermon of Psalm 34 to the church. Yet first century persecuted followers of Christ probably seemed just as crazy to others as David had when he pretended madness before Abimelech.

    The Psalmist assures us that God hears the cries of the righteous and sees our suffering. Furthermore, the Lord prevailed and saved David.

    The Lord also saves us in spite of humanly impossible circumstances many times; therefore the faithful hear:

    Psalm 34:21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
     And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned
    22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
     And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned

    Is your soul saved?

    The Lord redeems the soul of His servants.

    Are you a servant of the Lord? Will you become like-minded with Jesus in suffering?

    Do you take refuge in the Lord Jesus Christ?

    Once again, turning to the preaching of Spurgeon:

    “The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants”—with price and with power, with blood and with water. All providential helps are a part of the redemption by power, hence the Lord is said still to redeem. All thus ransomed belong to him who bought them—this is the law of justice and the verdict of gratitude. Joyfully will we serve him who so graciously purchases us with his blood, and delivers us by his power. “And none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” Faith is the mark of the ransomed, and wherever it is seen, though in the least and meanest of the saints, it ensures eternal salvation. Believer, thou shalt never be deserted, forsaken, given up to ruin. God, even thy God, is thy guardian and friend, and bliss is thine.

    Charles Spurgeon commentary Psalm 34:22

    Peter continues

    Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, Peter asks, are you all these things in Christ?

    • like-minded and sympathetic?
    • Do you love one another?
    • Are you compassionate and humble?

    Peter will continue by asking the church to be Christlike.

    • Do not return evil for evil and never insult anyone.
    • Bless your brother or sister in Christ.

    Do good, even if you suffer for it.

    If we are in Christ we must be like-minded. For we are now children of the Living God through Christ Jesus!

    Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified.

    Isaiah 8:12b;1 Peter 3:14b CSB
    To be continued...
  • They Stumble Because They Disobey – 1 Peter 2

    They Stumble Because They Disobey – 1 Peter 2

    The Apostle Simon Peter, who Jesus nicknamed, ‘the rock,’ warns the church about those who disobey God. He quotes scripture pointing to Christ as the cornerstone of the Temple and as a rejected stone causing some to stumble.

    As we suggested earlier in Apostates from Jude’s letter, these ‘religious’ opponents of Jesus often sway others to turn from the Lord. James also warns about Preaching to a Worldly Church, as do the Apostles.

    Peter reminds believers who hear his letter:

    For it stands in Scripture:
    See, I lay a stone in Zion,
    a chosen and honored cornerstone,
    and the one who believes in him
    will never be put to shame.

    So honor will come to you who believe; but for the unbelieving,
    The stone that the builders rejected—
    this one has become the cornerstone,
    and
    A stone to stumble over,
    and a rock to trip over.

    They stumble because they disobey the word; they were destined for this.

    1 Peter 2:6-8 CSB

    The Cornerstone in Zion

    stone wall "city of David" in Hebrew and English
    Zion צִיּוֹן

    Peter had witnessed the injustice to Jesus by Zion’s rulers first-hand. These same scornful men, a brood of vipers leavening the crowds of John the Baptist and Jesus – these arrogant religious scofferes pursued Peter and the Apostles, James and the church, and also Paul, Apostle to the gentiles.

    Peter quotes the prophecies of Psalm 118 and Isaiah, powerful imagery of the Messiah the Apostle had witnessed as he had entered Jerusalem with Jesus, who was crucified and then appeared alive after death on a cross.

    I shall not die, but live,
    And declare the works of the Lord.
    The Lord has chastened me severely,
    But He has not given me over to death.

    Psalm 118:17-18 KJV

    Two Herodian kings could not kill Christ and religious apostates who had turned against the Lord could not keep Jesus in the grave! Though the Lord rode into Jerusalem on the foal of a donkey triumphant as a king, His victory is that over sin and death by His Holy and Perfect Sacrifice on a Cross.

    Christ the Cornerstone

    Perhaps you know some lyrics from the 19th century hymn, The Church’s One Foundation, which shares this same imagery.

    The church's one foundation 
     Is Jesus Christ her Lord; 
     She is his new creation 
     By water and the Word... 

    Mid toil and tribulation, 
     And tumult of her war, 
     She waits the consummation 
     Of peace forevermore...

    The Apostle’s first letter to the church points back to the scripture of Isaiah, who states that the Lord’s foundation is firmly placed.

    “Surely My hand founded H3245 the earth,
    And My right hand spread out the heavens;
    When I call to them, they stand together.

    Isaiah 48:13 NASB – Strong’s reference H3245 – יָסַד

    In Scripture familiar to Peter’s first century readers, Isaiah chastises religious leaders who claim the Lord, but turn to a covenant with sin and death.

    Isaiah 28

    14 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, you scoffers,
    who rule this people in Jerusalem!

    … for we have made lies our refuge,
    and in falsehood we have taken shelter”

    Isaiah 28:15c ESV

    Peter quotes the LORD God from scripture in his accusation against those who turn from Christ Jesus.

    Isaiah 28:16 Therefore the Lord God said:
    “Look, I have laid a stone in Zion,
    a tested stone,
    a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation;
    the one who believes will be unshakable.

    Is your faith in the Lord unshakable?

    The church is Christ’s followers; saints all, every living soul gathered in His Holy Name. Peter refers to the faithful as living stones.

    No building of earth – not a Temple or grand Cathedral; but saved souls as living stones, placed by the Creator next to Christ our cornerstone. Unshakable – to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

    How firm is your foundation in the Lord?

    Peter shows us to be as unhewn but useful stones for the Lord’s holiest of Temples, the Living place of worship to the LORD founded in Christ.

    Isaiah 28:17-18

    “I will make justice the measuring line
    And righteousness the level;
    Then hail will sweep away the refuge of lies
    And the waters will overflow the secret place.

    “Your covenant with death will be canceled,
    And your pact with Sheol will not stand;
    When the overwhelming scourge passes through,
    Then you become its trampling place.

    Surely Christ has cancelled our covenant with death by His Sacrifice on the Cross.

    Peter’s Guidance for the Church

    Peter opens his first letter to the church: “To those chosen” or “To those who reside as aliens” or “To God’s elect, exiles scattered.. or “To the pilgrims of the Dispersion.

    These living stones are not recognized in this world as the church the Lord creates for true and eternal worship.

    Are you one who does not stumble?

    The world, even your neighbors, will treat you as aliens and attempt to shake your faith. Christians are as unwelcome in our 21st c. culture as the recipients of Peter’s first century letters to the church.

    In Jesus, Peter reminds us, our faith is solid – a firm foundation, level and straight. Peter precedes this call to the church from scripture with a firm exhortation meant to keep us from stumbling.

    Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.

    1 Peter 2:1 CSB

    1 Peter 2:

    4 As you come to him, a living stone—rejected by people but chosen and honored by God— 5 you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are being built to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

    Do you stumble when you encounter Christ?

    How could you stumble? Or how will the faithful help you to keep from stumbling in your witness of Christ Jesus?

    By the plumb line of Christ’s righteousness in your works:

    • You no longer show malice [ill-will, wickedness, depravity, evil,trouble] toward others.
    • Of course you no longer use deceit, a key tool of Satan, to mislead any.
    • Christians more than most receive the world’s indictment of hypocrisy where Jesus is just a false mask taken on and off as we please.
      • If all the world’s a stage, then all wear the masks of hypocrisy.
    • Envy also shows a worldly desire over our hope for eternal riches in Christ.
    • All slander [backbiting] must stop in redeemed Christians.

    The Chosen Stone and His Chosen People

    Peter’s call to Christians, so clear to those introduced to Christ as a ‘chosen generation’ to proclaim the Gospel, bears repeating {from the NKJV} 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

    4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

    Now you are God’s people

    9 But you are a chosen generation… called out of darkness.. (the darkness of sin).

    Christ, the Cornerstone, called you into His Living Light, though you were once dead in your sins. Peter reminds the faithful saints called and hewn by Jesus into living stones:

    Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

    1 Peter 2:10 CSB

    Peter will continue to guide the church in our actions with each other and with others. Even some worshiping with us stumble, preferring our own easy grace, rather than be held accountable to our reshaping for a firm and level foundation formed by Christ Jesus.

    I have begun the first letter of Peter from his challenging scriptural call to faithfulness in the second chapter. Next, we will return to the Apostle’s encouraging opening in chapter one, God-willing.

    To be continued...